Cautionary Tails
by mrspencil
Summary: A place for drabbles, short fics and challenge responses; mainly in verse. Chapter 18: Cat?: a response to a livejournal prompt, written last year. Set four years after the final scene in PotC:AWE.
1. Witness

_A/N: a rather belated response to the challenge set by FreedomOftheSeas, in October 2010. Thanks to Pirate-on-Fleet-Street for feedback and encouragement:)_

_I own no aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean_

_A drabble in verse, 100 words, set at the end of DMC._

_

* * *

_

**Witness**

* * *

A battered, broken pirate ship;

Abandoned on the ocean.

One clear heart-stopping moment

In a whirl of frantic motion.

Defeated by the Kraken;

Only two remain on board.

They linger several minutes more

Than either can afford.

I thought I knew Elizabeth,

And her promises to me;

But I witness an encounter

I was never meant to see.

Have I glimpsed her true emotions,

Or a calculated ruse?

If the circumstances altered,

Which adventure would she choose?

As the Kraken takes Jack Sparrow,

And I see her pain and grief,

I'm aware my own reaction

Is regret, edged with…relief.

~0~


	2. A cautionary tail

_a/n: written for the Black Pearl Mer-y Sue challenge. OST references._

_No aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean belong to me_

_A drabble-(100 words)_

* * *

**A Cautionary Tail**

* * *

A flash of iridescent scales;

A glimpse of gold-spun hair.

Just one week sailing stranger tides,

And magically, she's there.

Syrena's little sister,

With the cutest little tail;

Her mission to entrance

Her pirate captain cannot fail.

She sings a haunting melody,

With perfect pitch and tone;

Determined that the Captain

Will have eyes for her alone.

She loves his shiny pirate sword

And hat without a feather.

She knows it's written in the stars;

They're meant to be together.

~o~

Alas, despite her many charms,

This mermaid is mistaken;

The _Black Pearl_ had him from "Ahoy";

His heart's already taken.

~o~

* * *

_A/N2: slight alterations made after actually seeing the film,and the relevant hat, and one comment on review and seeing Nytd's avvie:)_


	3. Craft

_a/n: a short poem inspired by the challenge "Voodoo", from the Black Pearl forum._

_I own no aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean._

* * *

**Craft**

* * *

The last few rays of sunlight

Paint the tangled roots and vines;

And the water glints and ripples

As she steps up to the door.

A bundle wrapped in cotton

Swings and bumps against her hip;

She shuts the world away

And spreads the bundle on the floor.

~o~

A stick;

Two sticks;

Placed carefully,

Wrapped tight in Spanish moss;

Then strips of silk and calico

Bind moss and sticks in place.

Some scraps of wool and leather

And a twist of human hair;

A rag becomes a tricorn hat;

Two beads define a face.

~o~

Then; one more bead, a ribbon,

And her work is almost done.

She picks it up and moves

To where a fresh lit candle gleams.

She holds the figure closer

To the dancing, naked flame;

And out at sea,

Far, far away,

A pirate captain

Screams.

~o~


	4. A cautionary tail 2

_a/n:a continuation of events in chapter 2. What may have happened next...some reference to OST._

_No aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean belongs to me._

_A drabble and a half (150 words)_

* * *

**A Cautionary Tail: part 2**

* * *

Syrena's little sister

Sees Jack Sparrow sail away;

Her salty tears are hidden

As she's crying underwater.

She blames her mermaid origins;

If only she'd been born

Will Turner's long lost cousin

Or perhaps Barbossa's daughter.

~o~

She pouts so very prettily

And flicks her fishy tail.

It isn't very often

That a mermaid's plan is beaten.

Her sister had her handsome priest;

It really wasn't fair!

Jack Sparrow should be at her side

(Or torn apart and eaten.)

~o~

A Caribbean paradise

Will give her space to think;

She swims towards a palm-fringed shore

But does not understand;

Instead of miles of empty beach,

Syrena's sister spies

An angry lady pirate

Striding up and down the sand.

~o~

A golden opportunity;

A sympathetic ear;

Two Jack-spurned heads together

Can devise the perfect plan.

A washed-up voodoo figure

Puts revenge within their grasp:

The mermaid and Angelica

Are out to get their man.

~o~

* * *

_to be continued..._


	5. Black Sails

_A/N: a drabble-in-verse response to Nytd's challenge at the Black Pearl forum. Refers loosely to PotC:TCotBP._

_I own no aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean._

* * *

**Black Sails**

* * *

A harbour at midnight;

The town sleeps peacefully.

A cool breeze skims the weathered docks;

A full moon lights the sea.

~0~

A gold coin at midnight;

Has called out far and wide;

An ancient message reaching out

Beyond the rising tide.

~0~

A storm builds at midnight;

The full moon disappears,

And sleeping townsfolk's dreams are filled

With strange and nameless fears.

~0~

Then; black sails at midnight

Approach the shadowed port,

As cursed and deathless buccaneers

Locate the prize they sought.

~0~

Pirate raid at midnight;

The Aztec gold is found.

At last, the final missing piece

Is Isle de Muerta bound.

~0~

End


	6. Ghost Town

_a/n: added as a response to a Hallowe'en challenge from the Black Pearl forum._

_Set many years after events from the series. A traveller returns home._

_I own no aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean. _

* * *

**Ghost Town**

* * *

All is shadow now, and silence,

Nothing moves amongst the ruins;

Bars and taverns long deserted;

Streets no longer occupied.

Shops untended; markets vanished;

Stores left empty; homes abandoned;

Many years since merchant ships came

Sailing in upon the tide.

~0~

On the hill; a crumbling mansion,

Looking down towards the harbour;

Shows a hint of former glory

Through the broken window panes.

By the shore, a lonely fortress;

Storms and angry seas have battered.

Once the pride of Britain's Navy;

Only weathered stone remains.

~0~

Quite alone; he wanders slowly

Through the alleys from the dockside.

Something very strange is stirring

In the early evening light.

Images and sounds assail him;

Half remembered; half forgotten;

Scenes unfold from shapes and whispers:

Almost heard; just out of sight.

~0~

Can he feel the dull vibration

Caused by hammer striking anvil;

As a blacksmith's young apprentice

Forges metal into sword?

If he turns his head and listens

To a murmur from the shoreline;

Will he find a bustling quay where

Spanish galleons are moored?

~0~

Are the strains of "Hoist the colours "

Playing softly in the distance?

Has he brushed against a redcoat

Or a drunkard in the street?

Is that long deserted tavern

Briefly filled with light and laughter?

Can he hear the rhythmic drumming

From a Royal Naval Fleet?

~0~

From the mansion; lamps and music?

Or a trick of breeze and sunlight?

Can he see a governor's daughter

Gazing out across the sea?

Is that boom a roll of thunder?

Or the sound of distant cannons?

Is the town prepared to battle

With the threat of piracy?

~0~

Sun on glass or buildings blazing?

Footsteps near or creaking timber?

Are those shadows on the cobbles,

Men who've fallen in the fray?

Frantic screams or seabirds screeching?

Winds which rattle tiles on rooftops?

Or, have pirate hordes returned

To snatch their Aztec prize away?

~0~

Heading back towards the water

Where his ship, he knows, is waiting;

Does he glimpse a fleeting figure

In the corner of his eye?

Has he seen a pirate captain

Step from sinking mast to safety?

Did a whirl of beads and dreadlocks,

For an instant, pass close by?

~0~

Eyes are drawn to what remains

Of quite a melancholic structure;

He can almost see the bodies

Dangling from the hangman's rope.

Now he understands the message

Meant for all who reached Port Royal:

"If you choose a pirate's life, then

All is lost. Abandon hope."

~0~

One last glance, no time to linger,

Chilled; he can't suppress a shiver.

All returns to shade and silence;

Only memories remain.

Lost in thought, he boards the longboat,

Back to join the _Flying Dutchman._

Ten long years stretch out before him,

Till he steps on land again.

~0~

* * *

End


	7. Happy Families

_a/n: a response to a Black Pearl forum challenge. A somewhat tongue-in-cheek analysis of the component parts of the perfect family. No major spoilers but refers to all 4 films._

_I neither own nor make any money from "The Pirates of the Caribbean"_

* * *

**Happy Families**

* * *

The daughter: meek and ladylike;

A sweet, well-mannered child.

A lovely social ornament;

Not running wild.

No thoughts of seas and ships and

The adventures they might bring.

Not destined to be voted as

The pirate king.

~0~

The son: on whom, of course,

The family's hopes and dreams are laid.

His goal; to earn his father's pride;

By choice of trade.

No swapping of important skills

For pirate ship and sword;

No lessons learned from contact with

The Caspian lord.

~0~

The mother: heart of every home.

(Nice portrait; silver frame.)

All loving sons and daughters should

Revere her name.

She should not be, so many times,

Unseen, unheard, long dead.

And should not be preserved as just

A shrunken head.

~0~

The father: noble patriarch;

Respected, fair and wise.

A demi-god, according to

His family's eyes.

No keeper of the pirate code

Who likes to work alone.

No buccaneer; no wanderer;

No rolling stone.

~0~

The sweethearts: young and innocent;

Betrothed, about to wed.

In flower bedecked old country church,

Their vows are said.

It isn't at a maelstrom's heart,

With chaos, all around,

Where promises are made and where

True love is found.

~o~

The uncle: always close at hand

When sage advice is sought.

A source of great encouragement

And strong support.

No hurled abuse nor insults and

No threats to use the "cat".

No reference made to "scurvy dogs!"

No feathered hat.

~0~

The family pet: a handsome beast

Of spotless pedigree.

A dog, well trained to hunt; not merely

Hold a key.

No screeching squawking parrot will

Invade this peaceful home.

No chance that undead monkeys are

Allowed to roam.

~0~

So, this completes the perfect scene;

The family at it's best:

Who live their worthy lives beneath

The family crest.

But, what about those restless souls

Who find perfection dull,

Yet thrive: a family forged beneath

Crossed swords and skull?

~0~


	8. Lost and Found

_a/n:a response to the prompt "hesitation" from the Black Pearl forum._

_I own no aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean_

* * *

**Lost and Found**

* * *

A girl

Sings pirate songs,

And gazes out across the mist and sea.

~o~

She spies

A parasol,

Where parasols, she knows, aren't meant to be.

~0~

A boy,

Adrift, alone,

All other souls on board his ship are lost.

~0~

A coin,

Around his neck,

An Aztec skull design; in gold, embossed.

~0~

The girl

Sees pirate gold;

Picks up the coin, looks round, and hesitates.

~0~

She sees,

Beyond the mist,

A place where high adventure surely waits.

~0~

The boy;

She smoothes his hair,

His pirate gold concealed within her hand.

~0~

Her fate

Entwined with his,

In ways she can't begin to understand.

~0~


	9. Cat

_a/n: a response to the Black Pearl forum challenge:-Cat- from Umeko_

_I do not own any aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean._

_I am very fond of the poetry of T.S. Eliot._

* * *

**Cat**

* * *

Jack Sparrow is a pirate cat;

A dreadlocked ball of fur.

With rum-soaked breath and unclipped claws

And soft sardonic purr.

He struts around the waterfront;

Untamed, without a care.

You think you've seen Jack Sparrow...

Look again, he isn't there.

~0~

Jack Sparrow is a roving cat

At home in any port;

He lives and loves and then moves on

Without a second thought.

When hopeful lady cats in heat

Demand an equal share;

They wait up for Jack Sparrow…

But in vain; he isn't there.

~0~

He's often found on sailing ships,

He's travelled far and wide,

And well-groomed, stern-faced naval cats

Would like to nail his hide.

He's fought and scratched his way through life

With cunning, wit and flair.

They've almost caught Jack Sparrow…

But, of course, he isn't there.

~0~

He preys on law-abiding cats,

He flatters, steals and lies

He sees the world as his to take;

Through wide and kohl-rimmed eyes.

An older, wily tom cat

Fights to keep his Black Pearled lair.

He tries to lose Jack Sparrow…

But Jack Sparrow's always there.

~o~

Jack Sparrow is a lucky cat;

He needs his full nine lives.

He's dealt with kraken, sword and noose,

Yet, somehow, still survives.

He heads straight into trouble

With an optimistic air.

You would like to meet Jack Sparrow?

I'm afraid he isn't there.

~o~

Jack Sparrow, Captain Jack to you;

There's no-one like Jack Sparrow.

He makes the best intentioned cats

Veer off the straight and narrow.

He's fickle, flawed and fancy free;

His purr may drive you spare.

But, somehow, when the chips are down,

Jack Sparrow will be there.

~o~


	10. Joy

_a/n:response to a challenge at the Black Pearl forum._

_I own no aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean._

_Relates to the end of PotC:CotBP_

_POV of Will Turner._

* * *

**Joy**

* * *

So this is where I stand:

The blacksmith and Jack Sparrow;

Side by side.

Above; a hangman's noose:

My future with Elizabeth;

Denied.

~0~

One last impulsive act;

I could not let them hang him

In the end.

Unlikely though it seems;

I've gained a lawless pirate

As a friend.

~0~

I really can't regret

That reckless, hopeless gamble,

Though I lost.

Sometimes you have to take

A certain path no matter what

The cost.

~0~

But now, she's at my side;

Between that lawless pirate

And his fate.

Although she's made her choice;

This might be far too little

Far too late.

~0~

The scene then turns around;

Her suitor does not want

To live with lies.

He needs to hear the truth,

But knows how she'll reply;

He's seen her eyes.

~0~

A brave and honest man

Accepts that there are dreams

He can't destroy.

I handed him my sword;

He hands me back his happiness

And joy.

~0~


	11. Black

_a/n:a drabble in response to a Black Pearl challenge; regarding Lord Cutler Beckett._

_I neither own nor profit from any aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean_

* * *

**Black**

* * *

White powdered wig

Groomed perfectly;

Silk jacket

Neatly pressed;

Gold buttons

Polished carefully:

Immaculately dressed.

The finest courtly manners

As befit his chosen place;

The trappings of a gentleman;

High born, blue blooded grace.

A life of wealth and privilege;

A smooth untroubled rise

Past those whose birth and background

Are less worthy in his eyes.

He claims the moral high ground;

In his sense of right and wrong

But deep and dark ambitions

Have been stirring all along.

Don't drop your guard,

Stay vigilant

And always watch your back.

Beneath pale powdered finery

His heart and soul are black.


	12. Propitious

_a/n: written for a prompt from the Black Pearl forum. _

_Is his next challenge a truly impossible one?_

_I own no aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean._

_Set after the end of OST, contains references to all 4 movies. The point of view this is from should become clear at the end:-)_

* * *

**Propitious**

* * *

Propitious conditions

Pertaining to pirates;

Felicitous, favourable

Fortunes of war.

Fortuitous features

For sea-faring felons;

Auspicious events

Which can alter the score.

~0~

First, a fair wind

And upon the horizon,

A merchant ship, laden

With silver and gold.

A buccaneer crew

With a taste for adventure;

Good food in the galley

And rum in the hold.

Tropical beaches,

No cannibal islanders;

Fathomless, krakenless

Deep rolling seas.

Harbours containing

No mermaiden sirens,

And dogs who will always

Hand over the keys.

The seven seas free

From a debt to The Dutchman,

East India Company's

Maelstrom defeat.

Successful removal from

Davy Jones' locker;

An Aztec curse lifted,

Instructions complete.

Odious shipping lord

Meeting his maker,

Ex naval Commodore

Proving his worth,

Barnacled pirate

And blacksmith united,

Blackbeard removed

From the face of the Earth.

Governor's daughter

Released from her corsets,

Wily old sea-dog

With skeleton crew.

One-eyed philosopher,

Reading the bible,

Magical compass

Which always points true.

Goddess released

From long years of confinement,

Ancient, incalculable

Forces let loose.

Kohl-eyed and dreadlocked,

Sea-smitten adventurer;

One step ahead

Of the sword and the noose.

~0~

He sits, sipping rum,

In an overlooked corner

And smiles at his fanciful

Thoughts of the past.

He rises unsteadily,

Winks at the barmaid,

And knows it is time

That he acted at last.

His crew, and his pearl

Of a ship, in a bottle;

Retrieval appears

An impossible dream,

But looking back now

At his many adventures,

Defeating impossible odds

Is the theme.

~0~

So, out of the tavern,

And back to his lodgings;

He ponders precisely

What items he'll need.

He spots a fine trumpet

Displayed in a window,

And wiggles his fingers;

Propitious indeed!

~0~

End


	13. Haunted

_a/n: I neither own nor make any money from any aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean._

_This contains some spoilers for the end of PotC:DMC and is a response to a challenge on the Black Pearl forum._

_Point of view of Elizabeth Swann._

* * *

**Haunted**

* * *

A choice,

The lives of my ship-mates all depended upon.

_His voice;_

_A soft-whispered "pirate", even though he's gone._

_~0~_

Who cares?

The life of a pirate is traditionally cheap.

_Nightmares;_

_As Captain Jack Sparrow still disturbs my sleep._

_~0~_

And Will…

Lives on; knowing that should make my choice worthwhile.

_But still..._

_I can picture those dreadlocks and a kohl-eyed smile._

_~0~_

His fate;

A kiss to distract him while I worked, concealed.

_Too late_

_To admit precisely what that kiss revealed._

_~0~_

I left;

I'd chained him securely to the trap I'd laid.

_Bereft;_

_I am constantly haunted by the word,_

_Betrayed._

_~0~_


	14. Matched Sets

_a/n: I neither own nor make any profit from any aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean. A response to two challenges from The Black Pearl forum: prompts- "together" and "tradition". Contains somewhat random details from all the movies._

_Traditionally, some items, and people, go together..._

* * *

**Matched sets**

* * *

His hat,

A pirate hat,

A hat adorned with feather;

Worn proudly as he strode the deck,

In any weather.

~0~

His hat,

Another hat,

The hat of Captain Jack;

Which has its own adventures,

But keeps coming back.

~0~

His coin,

An Aztec coin,

An Aztec coin of gold;

Joined strait-laced governor's daughter

To a blacksmith bold.

~0~

A key,

A dog with key,

A dog with prison key;

The keeper of the pirate code;

Shared destiny.

~0~

His sword,

A well-made sword,

A blacksmith's well-forged sword;

(Alas he failed to win a certain

Pirate lord.)

~0~

His eye,

A makeshift eye,

An eyeball made of wood;

A shipmate working at his side,

Who understood.

~0~

Her shack,

A rundown shack,

A secret, hidden shack;

Her home, till fate and circumstance

Should call her back.

~0~

His chest,

A wooden chest,

His heart inside that chest;

The heart of one, who sailed the seas;

Denied all rest.

~0~

A rope,

A hangman's rope,

Lord Beckett's hangman's rope;

A lethal combination, quite

Devoid of hope.

~0~

A ship,

Not just a ship;

The pirate ship, "Black Pearl".

His ship, from when he first observed

Black sails unfurl.

~o~


	15. Suspended in Time

_a/n: This is a response to a challenge on the Black Pearl forum; to tell the story of one of the ships held by Blackbeard in PotC:OST._

_Thanks to Nytd, Medcat, and Zaydee:-)_

_I own no aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean._

* * *

**Suspended in Time**

* * *

A ship in a bottle, suspended in time.

~0~

A ship in a bottle, a curious notion;

A miniature world with a glass-bottomed ocean.

~0~

Encased within glass, a once proud merchant craft;

With tattered sails clinging to masts fore and aft.

~0~

A ship in a bottle, a story to tell;

Her captain and crew and the fate which befell

As she sailed from safe shores to deep waters from Hell.

~0~

A generous contract, a cargo-filled hold:

Rare silks, vintage brandy and silver and gold;

A fair wind for sailing, fine goods to be sold.

~0~

A ship in a bottle, the pale morning light,

A bustling harbour, blue seas tipped with white.

The crew in good humour, the sun glinting bright,

Dark wood and pale sailcloth, a heart-lifting sight.

~0~

A tall merchant vessel sails out on the tide,

With cargo for trading stored safely inside;

Her hull is well-seasoned; her crewmen, well-tried.

Her captain regards his small kingdom with pride.

~0~

A ship in a bottle heads out from the shore;

A route never sailed by this captain before.

New harbours to enter, new lands to explore,

An eye on the next port of call, nothing more;

No hint of the future the Fates have in store.

~0~

A peaceful transaction, conditions are fair;

An extra rum ration for all crew to share;

Then a growing unease at a change in the air,

As darkness and shadows are gathering where

An insatiable predator glides from her lair...

~0~

A ship in a bottle, an ominous sound,

As storm-filled clouds crackle and rising waves pound,

And rocks rising out of the water resound

Where vessels from centuries past ran aground

And sailors of every description have drowned;

And a pirate ship, darker than Hell, sweeps around.

~0~

A valiant merchant ship battles in vain

Through thunder and lightning and hard driving rain

As the Queen Anne's Revenge, with a brutal disdain,

Bears down on her victim again and again;

With firestorms and frenzy and fury and pain,

Till only a few living sailors remain.

~0~

A ship in a bottle, the storm clouds have passed;

Her crew out-maneuvered, out-gunned and out-classed.

This one sided conflict is over at last.

The sky is a gun-metal grey, overcast.

And tattered sails flutter from rigging and mast.

~o~

As the dust from the merciless cannon-fire clears,

A sinister, smoke-shrouded figure appears,

His name is a name which the bravest man fears,

A half-whispered legend passed down through the years;

Of torment and torture and terror and tears.

~0~

A ship in a bottle, a desperate state;

Her hold is stripped bare of each barrel and crate.

And all that her crewmen can do is just wait,

Aware that this fiend will determine their fate.

~0~

The legions of mindless marauders depart

And deep apprehension fills every man's heart,

Unsure what new manner of evil will start,

As Blackbeard prepares his unholy black art.

~0~

A ship in a bottle, and bone-chilling cries,

As Blackbeard looks up with red fire in his eyes

And raises his powerful sword to the skies.

~o~

A wild and a terrible force is set free,

As blinding white light raining down on the sea

Leave debris and smoke where a ship used to be.

~0~

A ship in a bottle, in Blackbeard's foul hands;

An ancient black magic no soul understands.

~0~

And here, in her prison of glass, she sails on;

All hope of returning to harbour, long gone.

~0~

A ship in a bottle, suspended in time.

~0~


	16. Tea

_a/n: a response to the prompt "Tea" on the Black Pearl Forum._

_No aspect of PotC belongs to me._

_Lord Cutler Beckett...a drabble._

* * *

**Tea**

* * *

Snow white lace trimmed tablecloth;

Polished silver, gleaming;

Finest gilt-edged porcelain;

Fresh boiled water, steaming.

~0~

Boy on upturned barrel sings;

(Teapot needs refilling)

Hangman's lever drops once more,

"Hoist the Colours" stilling.

~0~

Family heirlooms, every piece

Delicately painted.

Finest tea leaves always used,

Fragrant, pure, untainted.

~0~

Bride abandoned in the rain,

Would-be groom arrested;

(Milk poured into cup, just so)

Loyalties hard tested.

~0~

Amber liquid poured with care,

Sugar tongs are readied

Sweetness added, tea cup raised,

Subtle tremor steadied.

~0~

Maelstrom battle rages on;

(Tea cup drained with relish)

One last glimpse of gentler times,

As all around him perish.

~0~


	17. Kidnap!

_a/n: a response to a challenge on the Black Pearl forum. The prompt-"kidnap"_

_No aspect of Pirates Of the Caribbean belongs to me._

_This is set a few months after the opening scene of PotC:CotBP._

* * *

**Kidnap!**

* * *

They played;

Governor's daughter

And wreck-rescued castaway;

Ships made from tables

And islands from chairs.

A mop handle served as the mast

Of their galleon;

And cupboards flung open

Were sea monsters' lairs.

~0~

She took on the part

Of a beautiful princess,

Kidnapped by pirates

Who wanted her gold.

He was a seafaring,

Handsome adventurer,

Hoping to free her

From tabletop hold.

~0~

He fought his way bravely

Past cupboard-borne krakens,

And sailed across carpets

Of storm-laden seas;

His wooden sword swung

As she shouted encouragement,

He reached her at last

With broad grin and hold keys.

~0~

Their game caught the ear

Of a passing James Norrington,

Who paused at the laughing

Commotion inside.

He peered through the window

At Will, the proud victor;

Dishevelled, triumphant,

And Liz, his young bride.

~0~

He smiled at their make-believe,

Tabletop wedding;

Unhindered by background,

Untroubled by class.

In time they would learn

That such scenes could not happen;

That such childish fancies

Were destined to pass.

~0~


	18. Cat?

_A/N: this was written last year as a response to a livejournal challenge._

_I own no aspect of Pirates of the Caribbean._

_This takes place after the end of the third film, "At World's End". Elizabeth raises her son while her husband captains the "Flying Dutchman". _

* * *

**Cat?**

* * *

It was the stillness which unsettled her.

She would glance up from a task to find herself the subject of a steady, slow-blinking gaze.

When Elizabeth first made the acquaintance of the cat, he was nothing like the well-groomed feline she knew today. As a sorry looking bedraggled scrap of fur, blown in on a storm, he had immediately stolen the heart of four year old William. Elizabeth's initial resistance to taking on such a creature had gently crumbled with each earnest plea from her small son.

The cat was dried, warmed, fed and given a home. Under sand and seawater, he was revealed to be a handsome grey tortoiseshell with a white collar and bib.

The cat dealt stoically with the attentions of a delighted small boy, and became his constant companion.

Elizabeth, too, found it comforting to have another living creature around the house. One evening, while her child slept, she found herself telling the cat of her adventures. She talked of the characters she had met and what they had meant to her.

She spoke of her husband, Will Turner, and the long years without him. The cat stretched, yawned, and feigned sleep.

She talked of Jack Sparrow and his escapades. The cat hissed, and turned its back.

She described Hector Barbossa. The cat arched his back as hackles rose.

She told the cat about James Norrington; her guilt and gratitude at his fate; the memories that she would always treasure. The cat purred gently; and there it was, the same slow-blinking gaze.

And peace.

Elizabeth studied the cat more closely.

"James?" she whispered.

~0~


End file.
